For Show
by Person3162012
Summary: Sorry. This story is going on temporary hiatus. Minor editing to current chapters will appear when it is taken off hiatus. I want to finish this story completely before I post more so you won't have differing wait periods between chapters. Once it's finished I plan on updates once a week. Until then, thx for reading! ;)
1. Chapter 1

Snow sat in her bed, reading. Saturday night, and she sat alone with no one, but her black cat, Coal, for company. She wasn't average in any form of the word . She was beautiful, even if she often couldn't see it herself. She was very smart and mature for her age. Beautiful though she was, she had never sparked the interest of boys her age. This had nothing to do with being a wallflower. In fact, the case was quite the contrary. She was far too headstrong. Too headstrong to befriend any girls either which lead her to become quite self-sufficient. Besides books and her cat, she was alone.

Snow glanced at the clocked as the numbers switched from 11:59 to 12:00. She sighed.

"I wish I could escape this world," she said to herself as she placed her book on the nightstand gently and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

In the Goblin Kingdom, the king sat on his throne and watched the young girl sleep.

"Perfect," he whispered as his lip curled.

**Hi, guys! I realize I haven't updated in a while and I'm sorry for that. If you noticed I deleted Only A Wish Away and that's because I decided to completely revamp it. I mean completely. Do not expect the same story. I'm trying to make it more realistic and better written so here's hoping! ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

"Daor!" Jareth called as a black cat slinked into the throne room. "Transform, you nitwit! I need your report."

The cat looked reproachfully at his king before his limbs elongated and his paws widened. The fur all over his body shrunk back into him revealing pale skin as his eyes turned from yellow to an easy green. The man stood as his hair slowly turned from short fur to dark hair long enough to pull up into a ponytail.

"The girl appears to be a fine candidate, my liege," the cat-man said.

"Fetch her, then," the king ordered dismissively.

"Your majesty, with all due respect, I..." the man trailed off, seeing the murderous look in his king's eyes. "Of course, your majesty, that does seem to be the best course of action."

"I knew you would agree. Off you go," the king said as the man bowed and left the throne room.

* * *

Snow slipped back into consciousness far earlier than she would have liked and tried to will herself back to sleep. The bed was so warm and comfortable, even the sheets seemed softer than usual. Sheets?! Snow only slept with blankets and comforters. Her eyes snapped open. This was not her room. She jumped out of the bed.

"Where am I?" she thought aloud. "I'm dreaming!" Snow realized as she willed herself to fly. When nothing happened, she sat on the bed in horror. 'This isn't a dream,' she thought. "So where am I?" she thought again as a knock on the door made her jump out of her skin.

She sat on the bed, frozen, staring at the door like it was rearing to pounce when the knock sounded again.

"Miss?" A voice called through the door, sounding worried, as Snow's eyes widened in fear.

'What if there's supposed to be a lady here and I'm here instead?! What if they think I'm impersonating her?! What if-" Snow's imagination was cut off when the door opened.

A woman, probably in her late fifties, stood in the threshold. The woman donned a gray maid's dress with a white apron. The woman's kind brown eyes filled with concern as she looked on the paralyzed girl.

"Are you alright, dear?" she asked tentatively.

"Where am I?" Snow demanded.

"The queen's chambers, miss," the woman said as Snow realized for the first time the woman was carrying a breakfast tray.

"What queen's chambers? I'm not a queen!" Snow insisted.

"Not yet, dear, but I expect you will be wed soon," the maid said as she approached Snow carefully and set the breakfast tray on a desk Snow hadn't noticed.

"Wed to whom? Where am I?!" Snow demanded again, becoming more panicked by the second.

"The king, of course. This is the castle beyond the Goblin City," the woman explained, as she poured orange juice into a goblet on the breakfast tray.

"The castle beyond the Goblin City?" Snow repeated. "I _must_ be dreaming! Wake up!" Snow shouted, pinching herself and closing her eyes, but when she opened them, the same scene met her eyes. However, this time the maid was looking at her very concernedly.

"Dear, you really should calm yourself, his majesty will be here any moment," the woman told her.

"I'm here now," A voice called from the doorway, causing Snow to jump again. "Ancilla, you are dismissed," the man said as the woman curtsied and left.

"Who are you?" Snow demanded as the man stepped into the room.

"Jareth," the man said, bowing dramatically. "High Heir and King of the Goblins. What can I do for you?"


	3. Chapter 3

"It would have been more helpful if you had said 'Hello, I am Jareth. I am pompous and condescending.'" Snow snapped as 'Jareth's' expression darkened.

"Arrogant mortal." he whispered under his breath. "Do you know who you stand before?"

"Yes, I stand before Jareth, the arrogant windbag." Snow told him, trying her best to hide the paralyzing terror that crept through her veins as the tall being towered over her.

"I would not say such things if I were you," he whispered dangerously, every word dripping with enough fury to silence a battlefield.

"That's good," she said, sticking her chin out defiantly as if his words had not reached her ears. "Cuz if you were me and I were you, then you'd be dirt under my feet."

At her words, Jareth visibly relaxed. She wasn't challenging his authority, really. This was her way of preventing him from taking advantage of her fear. He almost smiled. Most candidates would be crying and pleading for him to release them by now. The change was refreshing.

"You misunderstand me," he said, his accented voice laced with feigned innocence. "I will not hurt you or make you a slave." His words caused her mask to slip for a moment and he saw deep fear behind her eyes as a small smirk graced his thin lips. "No, I brought you here so you could live your dreams."

"What do you think to know of my dreams?" Snow challenged.

"To start, you wished to escape your world and I have helped you do just that," he said. "I should have granted your wish and left you to be a slave in the Kingdom of Darkness, but I give you the chance to rule. Isn't that generous?"

"No, it's not. Generous is offering that, not forcing it." she snapped.

"You mean to say you don't want to escape your world and rule your own kingdom?" Jareth taunted.

"I didn't say that. I also didn't say my dreams were worth being hitched to you," she told him snidely as anger rolled off him in waves. Snow unconscious step back and wished she could rewind the last three seconds. Perhaps she should have said something wouldn't have offended him as much. She did her best to glare into his eyes, but the force of his magic made her look down. Although he wasn't speaking, his silence was more painful than lashings and frightened her more than a thousand threats ever could have. The uncertainty terrifying, but she soon felt his anger begin to dissipate slowly. Eventually, her curiosity overuled her fear and she looked up to find him watching her sternly. They stood silently for a moment before Jareth grabbed her arm suddenly and the room began to melt away. Snow struggled against his grip, but the thin man seemed to have more strength in his thumb then Snow had in her whole body.

Surroundings were painted back into existance as Jareth finally released Snow as she fell to the ground. Snow jumped to her feet and glared at him, but he wasn't looking at her. She followed his gaze to a beautiful woman with glossy, dark hair and brilliantly green eyes that shone even from a distance. A faint light blurred the edges of her silhouette as she advanced toward them. Snow could tell the mysterious woman demanded respect, whoever she was, and made a split-second decision not to taunt her like she had Jareth. The woman could not have been human. Snow found herself starring and was vaguely aware that Jareth was kneeling.

"Rise, king," the woman said, her soft voice reverberating even though their outdoor surroundings did not echo. Jareth stood slowly as they woman glided over to Snow.

"Daughter of Eve," the woman said, seemingly addressing Snow. The tall woman bent slightly to examine her critically as Snow's thoughts raced. Was she supposed to bow or something? The woman made no move to touch her, but her scrutinizing glare made Snow shift uncomfortably.

"Yes?" Snow acknowledged tentatively in an attempt to soften the woman's gaze. The woman did not reply, but smiled brightly as she turned to Jareth.

"She has been chosen. Could you not tell?" the woman asked him with a hint of sarcasm in her melodious voice. Jareth's face turned beet-red with fury, but Snow's surroundings melted away before the fireworks came.

**Hi, guys! I'm not entirely confident in this chapter, but I have kept you waiting long enough! ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

The queen's chambers slowly faded into existance, but Snow payed no mind. She was 'chosen.' What did that mean? Chosen for what? It sounded like she had been chosen to be queen, but wasn't that already decided? Not if she had anything to say about it. Why was Jareth so mad at the woman? Musing, Snow looked out the window. Below the tower was a vast labyrinth and beyond that the land was barren. Where had they gone that the land was so fruitful in this desert? Perhaps the lush area was facing the other direction. Turning, she looked at the opposite wall. No window. She sat on the bed and pondered what would become of her. She really wasn't sure if she was looking forward to it.

* * *

"Labyrinth," Jareth warned, near shouting. "I am your king. Do not forget your place," he threatened, looming over her as the grass and flowers seemed to wilt and sag under the weight of his wrath. The Labyrinth merely smiled, bringing the vegetation back to its former vibrancy with a soft, silvery laugh.

"And you, yours. King though you may be, I am not your inferior," the Labyrinth told him firmly. Jareth sighed and backed away, but his fury did not disappear completely.

"You cannot honestly expect me to wed that child," he pleaded through gritted teeth. "When I was her age, my social standing amoungst the other monarchs was scarcely above a babe's, even with my heritage and schooling. It is a miracle in itself that the other kingdoms have come to fear the goblins. If their queen were barely a toddler in the eyes of the Fae, the goblins will almost inevitably be forced into war," he said, pacing. "I do not fear for the goblins as they can be ridiculously hardy and barbaric, but for the thousands of faithful soldiers that will undoubtably be massacred. I will not end the lives of so many unnecessarily," Jareth stated resolutely as he stopped and stood still, awaiting the Labyrinth's judgement, but again the Labyrinth smiled.

"If I believed for one moment such things would occur upon your marriage, I would send the girl Above, never minding the intense price of interrupting destiny. However, you know as well as I that you are making frail excuses. All Fae remember the last time the goblins went to war, and even if they did not, there are few kingdoms who would desire to claim this kingdom. A labyrinth and a castle are scarcely worth the cost, particularly because of the duties that fall upon the ruler of this land," the Labyrinth said somberly. "Besides, you are only frustrated because you intended me to be so appalled at your choosing of one so young that I would give up the pursuit of your queen."

"Clearly you care little for my feelings and opinions, so think of her. She will never be happy here. The girl, Shirley or whatever, has no respect for my title," he started.

"Snow has just woken up in a strange land without even the faintest idea how she arrived. For all she knows, you kidnapped her. This is to be expected," the Labyrinth reasoned, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Then, you should take pity on her and return her," he said, shrugging off her hand. "If she stays she will do nothing but disrespect me and weigh down the respect anyone has for this kingdom. She could never be civil. The first words she spoke upon seeing me were insults. Imagine how she will behave in the presence of other monarchs. She reacts to fear with anger: a quality that leads to war," he finished, sure that this would change her mind.

"She can be taught," the Labyrinth insisted. "I will not argue with you any longer. Go to her, explain your worries and intentions if you must," she said, turning away and beginning to fade. "And remember, humans, especially female humans, believe respect is a two-way street no matter your political position. Treat her thusly," she told him, her last words fading and echoing softly.

Jareth let out a frustrated roar, shattering the serenity that had blanketed the sacred place. This was not how he intended things to go. He had half a mind to return the girl Above, but the Labyrinth would bring her right back. The King had never felt so undeniably trapped. Betrayed by his own scheme. The Labyrinth had been right about his intention to end her quest for his queen. The proud Fae sunk to his knees for the first time since he was a child. There was no turning back, but there was no way he was going to submit without at least some form of resistance. The Labyrinth expected him to humble himself in front of the child? 'Ha!' Jareth thought bitterly. Expected him, King of the Goblins, High Heir to the the throne of the entire Underground, to confess his worries and intentions to a mortal girl, who was too young to even attend a ball? "Ha!" he spoke aloud this time before he stood and disappeared with an excessive amount of glitter.

He reappeared in the queen's chambers to find the girl on the bed, lost in thought. She didn't even notice his arrival. 'Just as well,' he thought. Underground, a wedding was merely a formal declaration of the marriage. The actual marriage was nothing more than putting a ring on a finger and a Bonding Kiss. The king knew the girl would not be happy, but neither would he so why should she be? He grabbed her delicate hand off her lap and slipped the newly materialized ring on her finger. The girl looked up, shocked, but before she could pull her hand away, his lips were on hers. Taking advantage of her parted mouth he slid his tongue in. The girl struggled and whimpered against him and he let go as though burned.

Hissing in pain, Jareth stumbled back a bit as the girl sprang to her feet and darted to the other side of the room. Frightened tears stung her eyes, but Jareth took no notice as he touched his fingers to his mouth.

"What the devil is in your mouth?!" he roared. The girl was almost paralyzed in fear, but she was able to reach up and touch her own mouth. If not for the angry man threatening her with his eyes, Snow would have broken down in giggles, but all she could manage was a small smile at the corner of her lips that did not reach her eyes. "Well?!" Jareth demanded. The girl mumbled something indistinctly. "What?"

"Braces." Snow said a bit louder.

"What the devil are braces?!" he roared as Snow's little confidence diminished. She lowered her eyes and backed against the wall as a tear fell. She suddenly wanted to go home.

She was crying. She was too terrified to make a sound, but if the tears soaking her face were any indication, the girl was definitely crying. The Goblin King could not stand crying. He took a step toward her, but the human only retreated farther into the corner of the room. 'Foolish girl,' he thought. His slight concern for her tears was instantly dissolved by aggravation. If she thought she could hide from him, she was sorely mistaken. Suddenly, the wall behind Snow was pushing her forward. Toward him. Her feet felt rooted to the floor as he looked down on her; the top of her head did not even come up to his shoulders.

"Look at me," he ordered forcefully. The girl tensed, but did not look up. Grabbing the girl's chin and forcing her to look at him, Jareth sighed. "Do not disobey me. I am capable of more than a kiss," he warned. Snow wanted nothing more than to knee him, but something told her he wasn't kidding. She glared at him through the remaining tears, though fear still hung in her eyes. Jareth put his fingers to her lips to reveal the metal and rubber stretched around her teeth. Snow had a sudden urge to bite him as he released her chin and moved to touch the 'braces,' but she thought better of it. She noticed for the first time that he wore gloves as he attempted to pry the metal out of her mouth. Her resolve vanished as she kneed him and snapped at his fingers.

"Don't do that!" Snow hissed, feeling her teeth painfully as he stumbled back from the blow. He healed himself quickly enough, but he would not overlook her actions.

"Insolent child!" he screamed, but Snow had just noticed the ring on her finger.

"What is this?!" she cried, trying desperately to remove it. Jareth assumed she understood its meaning as a fine layer of sweat appeared on her brow.

"Quit struggling with it. You are going to tear your finger off," he told her.

"What is it?" Snow screamed fighting everything she knew it must be. "I didn't agree to anything like this. Get it off! I'm too young to be married. It can't even be legally binding! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" she wailed, stumbling around the room and bumping into to things as she scrambled to remove the offending object. Jareth watched her for a moment. He tried not to feel sorry for her. He was stuck with the same circumstances, wasn't he?

"You're going to hurt yourself," he remarked calmly, but she took no notice.

"Off! Off! Off!" Snow screamed. Jareth was getting bored. Stepping forward, he grabbed her arm which seemed to bring her out of her frantic haze.

"You are going to hurt yourself," he told her again. "It will not come off because not only it is legally binding, but also magically binding. That ring makes you Queen of the Goblins. That ring gives you social status and protection. That ring makes you superior to everyone save me and my parents. Without it you are nothing more than a human in a superior realm. Without it you will become a slave of the lowest class. I suggest you stop trying to take it off," he warned, releasing her.

In that moment, he saw it. Jareth saw the same feeling he had. Completely and utterly trapped, her brain was going into overtime looking for any escape. Her eyes darted to different points around the room. 'Rather pleasing eyes for a human,' Jareth thought. 'What?' He released her as though disgusted

"As Queen you have a number of obligations to fill," he said as her green eyes looked up, more terrified than ever, but he ignored her. "You will be expected to attend balls, dinners, gatherings, and court. Therefore, as your manners are hideously underdeveloped, you will attend classes to learn Fae customs. You will also attend dance, general etiquette, history, defense, horse-riding, magic, and a few other assorted classes. Which reminds me, you need to be changed officially."

"Changed? Wait, Fae, magic?! Where am I?" she demanded, unsure of where she found this confidence.

"Lesson number one, pay attention this is very important," he started as he backed her against the wall and put his hands by either side of her head. She was effectively trapped. "I am king. You will address me as such. You cannot demand things of me because you are beneath me. Understood?" he asked in a way that left no room for doubt.

"Yes," Snow said with venom as he tilted his head expectantly. "Yes, your Majesty," she corrected spitefully.

"Good," he said, backing away. "Ancilla!" Jareth called as the old maid Snow had seen when she first woke up entered the room. "Dress Sally for breakfast. I expect her presence in the dining room in fifteen minutes," he ordered, disappearing in a shower of glitter.

**I am personally proud of this chapter. Tell me what you think! ;)**


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